Sign-up and receive information about events, contests, and much more!

Fairplex Insider

The Fairplex Insider blog gives you a behind-the-scenes, inner-circle perspective on the more than 500 year-round activities at Fairplex from “Scoopster,” a blogger with extraordinary access to information and tips.xx

Fairplex Newsroom

For Immediate Release

BARRETTS RACE MEET AT FAIRPLEX ENDS 75TH RACING SEASON

BARRETTS RACE MEET AT FAIRPLEX ENDS 75TH RACING SEASONFor immediate release Pomona, Calif. (Sept. 22, 2013) -- Fairplex began its 75th season of racing this year with a new name, Barretts Race Meet at Fairplex. The internationally renowned thoroughbred auction house and storied race track name change were put into effect in March of 2013, and encompasses the equine auctions, the race track, the live racing meet, the pavilion and the barn area. ""This is very exciting news for equine business at Fairplex,"" said Jim Henwood, President and CEO of the Los Angeles County Fair Association. ""Barretts Sales & Racing will gain momentum in the horse industry along with a strong message that if it's equine, it's Barretts. ""The new name, logo and brand offer a cohesive identification of the various equine businesses and capitalize on the already strong Barretts reputation in the racing industry."" The live racing season will be known as the Barretts Race Meet at Fairplex from now on. Fairplex Park was the first track in Southern California to allow fans to bet on racing when pari-mutuel wagering was legalized in 1933. Barretts was formed in 1989 and opened with its inaugural March Sale of selected 2-year-olds in training the following year. The prestigious auction company plays host to five sales annually, including the Paddock Sale at Del Mar each July. Barretts is the leading auction facility west of the Mississippi River, and maintains an international reputation, bringing quality thoroughbreds into Southern California. The Barretts catalog has accounted for 16 to 20 percent of all starters in California races for more than 20 years. Martin Pedroza, named ""King of the Bulling"" after winning 13 consecutive riding titles (1999-2011) and 14 overall, was upset in 2012 by Edwin Maldonado, 26-19. His agent, Richie Silverstein, figured the ""2013 meet was over"" after Pedroza missed 3 programs of racing with a severely bruised right knee, which he suffered in a starting gate accident. But Pedroza showed why he is one tough hombre. He returned to the saddle with only four days left in the meet and won the jockey championship, 25-20, over second place Maldonado. Pedroza is the winningest jockey in Fairplex history with 730 lifetime victories notched on his whip, a record which may never be broken. David Flores resides in second place on that list with 350 winners. Born in Panama City, Panama, Pedroza won three stakes races, the $50,000 Jim Kostoff Stakes aboard Anillo, the $50,000 Las Madrinas Handicap with Ruby Pumps and Barrett's signature race the $100,000 Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Handicap with Blueskiesnrainbows, during the meet, giving him a career total of 81 stakes victories in Pomona, also a record. Agapito Delgadillo was third in the jockey standings with 10 winners, while Jorge Carreno finished fourth with eight. Doug O'Neill began the meet slowly, winning only one race from three starters the first weekend. But then the ""O'Neill Steamroller"" picked up momentum and he captured the training title for the ninth time in his career with 13 victories. Michael Pender and Peter Miller tied for second with six winners each. O'Neill won training championships at the Barretts Race Meet in 2002-2005, added another in 2007, and then reeled off three more in 2009-2011. He currently resides in fourth place on Fairplex's all-time trainers list with 123 winners. Semi-retired trainer Mel Stute is tops in that category with 189, but at his current pace, O'Neill figures to pass Stute within the next decade. Financially the Barretts Race Meet had a banner year in 2012 when it was up 7.95 percent in wagering compared to the previous year. However, this season betting declined about 14 percent when the final numbers were crunched for out-of-state, inter-state and advanced deposit wagering (ADW). ""We had increased competition this year that we didn't have last season,"" explained Kim Lloyd, general manager of Barretts Sales and Racing. ""Kentucky Downs and Churchill Downs in Kentucky and Gulfstream Park in Florida all overlapped our meet which dramatically impacted our out-of-state mutuel handle. We have no control over other states that conduct racing meets."" For the first eight afternoons of the Barretts Race Meet the weather conditions were very hot and extremely humid with the daytime temperatures seldom dipping below the 100 degree mark. Mother Nature finally cooperated during the final five days. On-track wagering showed a decrease of 4 percent, but on-track attendance soared 7 percent. For the third consecutive year Barretts offered two Wednesday twilight programs with a first post of 4 p.m. Like before, they were a tremendous hit with the fans. ""It was a much different crowd than we're used to seeing on Wednesday when we raced during the afternoon,"" said Lloyd enthusiastically. ""We would run twilight racing every night, but unfortunately for us, the L.A. County Fair conducts concerts Thursdays through Sundays in front of the race track grandstand. ""However, since we have free admission to the races at the Fair, many of those in attendance were exposed to horse racing for the very first time. We believe Barretts is helping to build a new generation of horseplayers."" One of the highlights on the second Wednesday night was the 73rd running of the oldest race run in Pomona, the Governor's Cup Handicap at 6 furlongs for 3-year-olds and up. The race was won by Luckarack. The 5-year-old gelding won by 1 length over Basmati, and it was his fourth career victory from five starts over the five-eighths mile oval. The purse for the Governor's Cup Handicap was raised from $50,000 to $75,000 in 2013, making it the richest race for older sprinters in the Fair's history. Carryover pools make for spirited wagering and attract horseplayers in droves. So when Tonight At Eleven won on the final Friday of the meet and returned a whopping $110.20, it sent the $2 pick six, the $1 win pick nine and the 50 cent players pick five into overtime mode. It was the first time in the track's history the 50 cent players pick five had a carryover pool. And if that wasn't enough of a ""carryover perfect storm,"" the $1 super high five wasn't tabbed that afternoon either. The finale was taken by Poshsky at 20-1 odds. He was followed across the finish line by 24-1 longshot Tiz Futurity, who ran second, with Mr. Satisfaction third at 55-1 odds as the longshot shot on the board in the 11 horse field. Betting favorites won 49 out of 136 races (36.03%), while in-the-money favorites found the tote board 95 times (69.85%). Odds-on favorites found the winner's circle on 20 occasions from 39 races (51.28%) and odds-on in-the-money choices hit 33 times out of 39 races (84.62%).